Chelsea, Barca draw 2-2

Didier Drogba scored in the fourth minute of injury time on Tuesday to give Chelsea a 2-2 draw with FC Barcelona in Group A of the Champions League.

Reported by Indo-Asian News Service

Read Time: 3 mins

Barcelona, Spain:

Didier Drogba scored in the fourth minute of injury time on Tuesday to give Chelsea a 2-2 draw with FC Barcelona in Group A of the Champions League.
The Ivory Coast striker chested a headed pass from John Terry in the area before shooting under Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
"No doubt we deserved that goal and maybe more," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "Drogba made a magnificent contribution with that crucial goal."
Deco gave Barcelona the lead in the third minute when he sent a low-angled drive from outside the area past diving Chelsea goalkeeper Hilario, but Frank Lampard equalised in the 52nd with a superb curving lob from the goal line.
Eidur Gudjohnsen then scored against his former team in the 58th after a centering pass from Ronaldinho.
"We are playing well, the team is really strong, and this was a very good test for us," Mourinho said.
This is the third straight year the two teams have met in the Champions League, and Tuesday's game produced 43 fouls, 10 yellow cards and several shoving matches.
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard rushed out onto the field to complain to the referee after the final whistle, which he felt was blown one minute earlier than it should have been.
"I went out to thank him for his participation," Rijkaard said sarcastically. "Our squad was kicking the ball around and wasting time when they shouldn't have, and Chelsea took advantage of that."
Deco gives lead
Deco gave the hosts the lead with a goal in the third minute after intercepting a pass at midfield.
Ronaldinho could have doubled the advantage six minutes later but he sent a pass from Lionel Messi over the bar.
Chelsea forced Valdes into two acrobatic saves in the 33rd, with the Barcelona goalkeeper tipping Michael Essien's header over the bar, then diving to stop a drive from Arjen Robben.
In the 37th, a shoving match started between players after Ashley Cole was shown a yellow card - which Barcelona mistakenly thought was his second in the match - and Messi was subsequently shown a yellow for dissent.
"I don't think the game was that aggressive," Mourinho said. "The number of cards shown is because it was hard for the referee with all of the players provoking him, rolling around on the pitch and then going and surrounding him like that."
Chelsea opened the second half with two great scoring chances, both from Robben.
The Dutchman's low-angled header in the 49th was cleared off the line by a diving Valdes, and an angled shot two minutes later went over the bar.
Lampard equalised shortly after.
After misplaying a cross from Essien, the England midfielder recovered the ball at the goal line, then spun and sent in a sharply angled lob that flew over Valdes and inside the far post.
In the 58th, Ronaldinho flicked a centering pass that Gudjohnsen directed into the top of the net to put the visitors ahead 2-1.
Chelsea stays in first place in Group A with 10 points, while Barcelona dropped into third with five.
Werder Bremen beat Levski Sofia 3-0 in the other group match to move into second with seven points. Levski remained at the bottom on zero points.
"We must beat the other teams in our group now," Rijkaard said. "We have no choice - we have to do it." (AP)